20260520-002, MoPac South Expansion Draft Recommendation — original pdf

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. RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Environmental Commission Recommendation 20260520-002: Mopac South Expansion WHEREAS, the Environmental Commission was given a presentation on May 6, 2026, regarding the MoPac South Expansion; and WHEREAS, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) proposes adding two new toll lanes in each direction, a total of 4 new lanes, from Cesar Chavez Street to Slaughter Lane; and WHEREAS, CTRMA has expanded the project, proposing to add between one and three new auxiliary and free lanes in each direction along the eight-mile route; WHEREAS, the proposed bridge over Lady Bird Lake, Zilker Park, and Austin High School would be expanded from 8 lanes to 13 lanes; and WHEREAS, the Austin City Council has passed Resolution 20241212-066 expressing concern about the environmental impact of the MoPac South expansion, lack of consideration of viable alternatives, and integration with existing public transportation; and WHEREAS, the Austin City Council passed Resolution 20190808-078 declaring a Climate Emergency on August 8, 2019, declaring greenhouse gas emissions from transportation a leading cause of climate change; and WHEREAS, the Austin City Council passed Resolution 20260423-064 expressing concern that the CTRMA Draft Environmental Assessment for the MoPac South Expansion is incorrect in its assertion that the Mopac South Expansion, “is likely to have no significant environmental effects on air and water quality, endangered species, caves and karst features, public parkland and community spaces, and vulnerable school-aged communities”; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin Urban Transportation Commission Recommendation 20260203-006 recommends that the CTRMA produce a complete Environmental Impact Study with a thorough study of alternatives before moving forward with the project; and WHEREAS, Hays County, over the objection of the Travis County Commissioners Court and with a contractor led by the former CTRMA Executive Director, is simultaneously moving forward with studies and planning aimed at connecting State Highway 45 Southwest to Interstate 35 (I-35), with roughly half of this project located in Travis County; and WHEREAS, if these two projects are both completed, MoPac would be converted from a local commuter highway into an alternative freeway, inviting large amounts of . interregional and interstate traffic, including truck traffic, onto MoPac, with harm to the environment, neighbors, and local commuters from Travis County, northern Hays County, and Williamson County; and WHEREAS, both construction and operation of the project would do direct harm to Lady Bird Lake parkland, Austin High School, Lady Bird Lake, Zilker Park, Barton Springs, the Barton Creek Greenbelt, Barton Creek, Gaines Creek, Williamson Creek, the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, and other parkland and neighborhoods along the project route; and WHEREAS, the expansion will cause harm to natural wildlife such as the Barton Springs salamanders as well as local cave ecosystems; and WHEREAS, the expansion would increase impervious surfaces, leading to greater runoff of pollutants such as heavy metals, petroleum hydrocarbons, and sediment into the aquifer; and WHEREAS, the expansion would also negatively impact Barton Springs and local stream flows; and WHEREAS, building such a highway expansion conflict directly with the transportation and climate protection goals of both the City of Austin and Travis County; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Environmental Commission recommends that Austin City Council request the Board of Directors of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority to consider other, more affordable, less environmentally damaging alternatives that will improve MoPac traffic flow for local commuters and that Austin City Council, the Rollingwood City Council, the Austin ISD Board of Trustees, and the Travis County Commissioners Court work to oppose the CTRMA MoPac South project as proposed and to instead support traffic demand reduction strategies and safety improvements that protect our public trust resources, including buying more land and conservation easements to permanently protect more land in the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer watershed with the additional following conditions: • Austin residents need to be engaged with a comprehensive report about how they have been engaged from across the city, but most importantly, the areas surrounding the expansion. Seconded By: Date of Approval: Motioned By: Vote: For: Against: Abstain: Off the dais: Absent: . Attest: _____________________________________________ Mariana Krueger, Chair Chair Krueger, Vice Chair Bristol, Secretary Qureshi, Commissioners Brimer, Changsut, Fierro, Fleury, Luecke, Morrison, and Sullivan